Moon-Struck Land Management

This video was taken while coming out of the woods for lunch. Ran across a mother raccoon and a litter of little raccoon babies (“kits” or “cubs”).

This video is just a quick view into the forest floor when you take some time to look and listen. Found a group of nurse ants tending to their herd of aphids. Discovering what is under the canopy.

This video goes a little more in depth with the techniques I use for the second stage of bush honeysuckle removal using the Pullerbear pro, and some personal safety tips while working out in the forest. Non-native Bush Honeysuckle like Amur (Lonicera maackii), Morrow’s (Lonicera morrowii), and Tatrian (Lonicera tatarica) will out-compete native forbs and bushes because it is the first to leaf out in the spring, and last to lose its leaves in the fall. Some things to report from this visit during this video - for research data, and for other forest and wildlife managers: I have been noticing that a few of the large stems that were cut last fall were trying to regrow roots on those cut ends, and were also sprouting green shoots of leaves. Though in total this was an uncommon occurance, there was a greater prevelance in areas with higher soil moisture present such as near a stream-bed or in deeper shaded areas. Although these were easily dislodged by a nudge of the foot or picking them up to break contact of the new root system with the soil, it goes to show the competativeness of the species and the importance of followup visits after the initial treatment stage. This data lends weight to my opinion that there would be an advantage of using a controled burn of the forest floor early in the spring prior to the other trees and plants coming out of dormancy. This should remove the stems and sprouts of the Bush Honeysuckle that might be trying to retake the forest floor. As I have done in my treatement areas, It would be important to keep the woody fuel of the branches and trunks of the honeysuckle close to the ground. By taking extra time to cut the branches until they lay near the forest floor, no only does it help with the ease of mobility within the forest, it will also help carry the fire through the forest once lite; also decreasing risk of the fire burning to hot and traveling higher into the canopy. Observations of stumps treated with Tordon RTU shows anectdotal data that the method of application has a high success rate, with only a few occasionally having enough resistance to avoid death and send sprouts back up in the spring. Sprouts from smaller stems, which were cut down in this first treatment to avoid having pungy sticks left behind causing a tripping hazzard, did resprout as expected. These stems were cut low on the first treatment to avoid possible injury of someone falling on the stems. This stems do show signs of stress where the majority of them have visible leaf desication on the edges of a few leaves per plant. Not sure if this is from the stress of the cutting late in the fall, or if it is from some disease affecting only the bush honeysuckle species. Areas treated with mechanical removal have shown promising signs of regenerated native species in the understory, and a comparison between the diversity of species present is suggested when compairing a fall treatment vs. an early spring treatment using the mechanical method with a direct chemical application to large stumps. Tools used for treatment: Stihl Kombimotor - Brushsaw blade Tordon RTU Stihl Chainsaw (Model MS 271 "Farmboss") Pullerbear Pro XLT (https://pullerbear.com/) Foam Brush (for Direct Chemical Application on cambium of stumps).

The forest project for the wood shed area is finished! This video goes over the final view of the area, along with some comments on what was done and why. Enjoy and leave a comment if you have any other thoughts on the project. Equipment used for this project: - Kubota MX6000 Hydrostatic Transmission - Landpride GS2584 - Grading Scrapper - Landpride SGC1072 - Light Duty Claw Grapple - Land Pride LA1065A - Front Loader Attachment - Stihl MS 261 "Farmboss" - Stihl MS 271 C - Pullerbear Pro - DEERE 333G Track Stidsteer with Stump Grinder attachment - WoodMaxx 9" Skid Steer Wood Chipper Model MX 9900SS

This video goes over a trick I use for blocking up logs into firewood. When dealing with larger piles of longer sapplings through pole-size logs (roughly 4"-10") that are not suitable for sale to a log mill, you have the option of cutting it down into firewood for yourself. Some common issues with these piles is you tend to run out of room underfoot when you do it the regular way (cutting all of the logs on the ground). It is bad for the back, tends to cause the blade of the chainsaw to hit the ground on occasion speeding up how quickly it dulls out, and you tend to have logs rolling around under foot causing a tripping hazard. By making one of these temporary cutting stations you save your chainsaw blade, save your back, and in my experience it speeds up the processing tremendously. As I mentioned in the video, this setup allows for the pile to stay on one side of the cutting station, allows you to put your saw down in a secure location while picking up the log pieces you just cut, and you can customize the cutting stantion to a size that works best for you. (Side Note on Terminology - blocking and bucking mean two different things, but the terms are sometimes wrongly used interchangeably. Bucking means to cut a felled and delimbed tree into logs of standard sizes of desired length for milling, whereas blocking means to cut logs into rounds of suitable size to be split into firewood.)

Today was a late start in the workday due to weather. Gave me a little time to have a sitdown reflection on my jounrey so far; from becoming a wildlife technician, to going private sector. There is a great need for trained and educated technicians in the private sector. I really pray that more people decide to take the leap and start the journey of building their own business helping land owners manage their land.

This video goes over some observations made during my second visit to a treatment parcel. The inital treatment was a fall treatment mechanical removal. Tool used was a brushsaw for branches, and to cut down the average sized bushes. A chainsaw was used to cut stumps larger than the brushsaw could handle and treated with Tordon RTU as a direct stump application. Intial treatment was limited due to seed development already underway on mature shrubs, so speed at dropping was more important than complete removal. Large stumps were recut to open fresh wood and treated with Tordon RTU in a conservative fashion along the outside ring/cambium using a smal 1.5" foam brush to prevent excess runoff contamination directly to soil. Majority of larger stems known to be treated were effective at killing plant, though some did show signs of resistance and survived. All bush honeysuckle resprouts shown major signs of struggle and it is unknown if this was due to trama incured during treatment, or if it is caused by lower light conditions and increased competition after being put through shock preventing healthy regeneration. Follow-up treatment methods were discussed and alternatives were given as potential rotation for a fall removal and spring retreatment schedule. Future video will go over second plot which has a Spring initial treatment and heavy removal up front due to no pressure to drop mature trees because of late stage seed development encountered with a Fall to Spring treatment schedule.

This short video goes over some of the process of steering a tree as it’s falling. This is an advanced technique and should be done with all due caution. This is one of those techniques that are dangerous even when you are experienced. Included are some links to a Reddit post talking about the subject a little, and another video they have linked to an arborist also making this cut and videoing the process with a better setup of camera then I currently have. Enjoy this video made by another professional tree cutter. All three of his tree cuts are a sight to behold for someone who is not familiar with the dangers involved with tree cutting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvhimK38PLQ&t=220s https://www.reddit.com/r/arborists/comments/sat4a2/steering_tree_in_backcut/

May 30, 2024 To continue from previous video, this shows the growing floor beneath a bush honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) infestation. Bush honeysuckle outcompetes and chokes out the understory growing space from the native species. Once established, it reduces sunlight so thoroughly, that anything but the most shade tolerant plants are unable to grow. Without mechanical removal of large established shrubs the ground floor of a forest will struggle until some natural disterbance takes place. This reduces bio-diversity to the extreme.

Video taken after a day of felling. Getting closer to being done the area that is going to be utilized as a wood storage and processing area. Some of the larger cedars along the wooded edge have been cleared, along with a large dead ash that was seemingly destroyed by emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis). I may do another video on the damage done to our forests by the emerald ash borer. I come across these dead ash trees all the time in the forests. When you begin to understand the history of the invasives that are hitting our forests it helps put into perspective the importance of doing what we can to actively monitor, and manage, our private lands. Detecting these pests early, and potentially control them before the populations reach critical levels, is key to preserving our forest health. Some info on the emerald ash borer in source below: - https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-pests-diseases/eab - https://dec.ny.gov/nature/animals-fish-plants/emerald-ash-borer-eab When attending SUNY - ESF, research on emerald ash borer (EAB) control was being conducted by the faculty and students under the team lead by Dr. Melissa Fierke. Follow her research here: https://www.nyisri.org/2020/03/researcher-spotlight-melissa-k-fierke-phd/ https://x.com/sunyesf/status/630061662700220416?lang=en

May 30, 2024 This video gives a view of the undestory along a field edge that is suffering from a bush honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) infestation. Bush honeysuckle outcompetes and chokes out the understory growing space from the native species. In an accomanying video under same title with "...pt 2" will give a closeup of the growing space underneath of the thick shrub infestation.

As I was working on bush honeysuckle removal, I almost dropped the Pullerbear Pro right on top of this fawn, it was that well blending in to the vegetation. Thankfully, at the last second, I noticed the spots and the coppery brown color and pulled the bar up before it made contact. Things to remember about wild deer babies (fawns). They are typically born late April - early June depending on where in the country they are and the typical climate for the region. Here in Northern KY, I would guess it is most concentrated around mid-May to early June. A few years ago, I worked on a white-tail deer / coyote research study as a wildlife technician for Clemon University. We attached GPS collars to the mothers, the fawn, and coyote, and studied the usual distance a mother would travel from her fawn, and also how often coyote would pass by fawn without detecting it. Fawn are born without any scent, so predators cannot smell them while they are that young. Mother deer (doe) typically leave them for hours at a time and in our study (I believe one was found to travel over a mile from her fawn), only coming to feed them a few times a day. This is for the baby’s safety because when the mother comes to nurse, the fawns location is exposed, and the mother risks getting her own scent on the fawn which would cause them to become more easily detectable by predators. If you come across a fawn, leave it be. Unless you see the mother getting hit by a car, or the baby just walking around dehydrated bleating, the mother has likely not abandoned it. The longer you linger in the area the harder it will be for the mother to come back to feed the baby fawn causing the fawn to become distressed. Hope this helps you in your own adventures in the forests. Until next time.

This video goes over using buffer trees in directional felling, and how to walk down small to medium sized trees (4"-12" DBH). The original intro to this video had a user-error for the new mic I was using, so I had to cut out the footage where I explained what I was about to attempt. To summarize, I was showing the placement of the surrounding trees in relation to the targeted felled tree. By planning which trees to cut first, and which to save for later, you can sometimes use another cull tree to protect the trees you are hoping to leave undamaged. By considering the layout of trees which are meant to go, and trees meant to stay, you can use use the walking down method in directional felling. Some things to keep in mind. Any time you are making cuts on a tree above ground level there is an increased risk of the tree trunk coming down on your leg or foot if not careful, and the closer together the trees are to each other, the greater the risk of the tree top coming back towards you should you walk the trunk to far. Another reason I suggest not using this method for trees over 12" is because the larger the trunk the greater the danger, and the harder it is to get the trunk to fall in a controlled manner. I highly suggest not using this technique until you have had many hours of tree cutting under your belt so you start understanding how trees tend to react to different cuts and weight distributions. I also suggest practicing this technique on smaller trees before moving up to larger ones. When I describe the cuts used in this method, remember that the "face" of the notch cut goes on the opposite side of the direction you are trying to walk the tree, and the "backcut" goes on the side facing the direction that you want the tree trunk to travel. If you come to a particularly stubborn tree that doesn't want to fall when doing the back cut, and you can't cut anymore without risking it falling to quickly, you can cut a nearby branch at a length that you can push on the cut truck at a safe distance to avoid having a tree falling on your foot. You may also notice that I am constantly looking around at not only the canopy of the tree I am felling, but also at near by canopies, it is because whenever a tree comes down there may be near by widowmakers that may come down, vines that I may have missed that can interfere with the safe felling of a tree, or other dangers that may come into play during the process. Also, I usually pause between cuts to re-evaluate the tree because there may be weigh-shifts that happen after the initial stop, which can cause the tree to start coming down as you are about to walk up upon it.

This video explains some of the basics for the mechanical removal of bush honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) that I prefer, using the Pullerbear Pro XL. Bush honeysuckle is an invasive species that was introduced later during the 19th century, and was even promoted by the US Department of Agriculture in the mid 1900's to help with soil erosion control. Once the invasiveness of the species was realized it was to late to stop the spread and it quickly began to overtake the understory of many US forests. Most states now have programs through their USDA - Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) county extensions to help private landowners cover some of the costs of removing this species from their property. For such programs you can look for your local NRCS County Extensions in the link in the references listed below in this discription. My preferred method of control is not the most popular at this time, due to the time consuming process and initial labor cost of mechanical removal, but I try to look at the overall health of the ecosystem a worry that conventional methods will cause more harm then good... Some state and government departments are even experimenting with control methods using helicopters to spray glyphosate over the managed areas in the fall, while trees are dormant, as a way to cover more ground and fight this invasive species. As is the case with many good intentions, I worry that this band-aid will cause more long-term harm, and the distal costs of overall damage to the forest soils and our general health will more costly in the end. Therefore, I feel it is important to attempt to remove this species without using dangerous chemicals such as herbicides containing glyphosate whenever possible. Roundup, which has been shown current research, to spread through the groundwater (contaminate drinking waters), damage soil microbiota (causing damage the local plant and animal community by extension), and impacts beneficial insects such as bees and other pollinators. I hope that my videos help teach other forest managers and property owners the methods I use to remove this invasive species and help prevent damage to the forest ecosystem through the more conventional and currently prefered method. References and Resources NRCS Extension - Programs for Removal: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/find-a-service-center Bush Honeysuckle: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/gardening-in-st-louis/invasives/bush-honeysuckle#13577254-origin-history-and-invasion https://mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/invasive-plants/bush-honeysuckle-control Tools: https://www.pullerbear.com/index.html https://rumble.com/user/Pullerbears Glyphosate in the Enviroment: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7602795/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32203845/ https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/news-media/research-highlights/childhood-exposure-to-common-herbicide-may-increase-the-risk-of-disease-in-young-adulthood

Continuation of last video, this is the drop. Background chainsaw noise courtesy of fellow worker blocking up logs for firewood Equipment used for task Stihl MS-271 “Farm Boss” Kubota MX6000 HST LandPride “Light Duty” Grapple Norse 350 Logging Wench Logging Chain Block Pully and Tow-Strap Hatchet and Felling Wedge to Hold “Back-cut” Open.

This video introduces visitors to my channel and the purpose of my content. My name is Nathan and I am the owner of Moon-Struck Land Managment, where I am a private contractor who works for landowners in the efforts to increase the productivity and enjoyment of the property for the land owner. I believe as stewards of what God gave us, it is our duty to manage land not just for our own benefit but for the whole wildlife community to increase the productivity and vigor of the forest and grassland ecosystem. I hope you enjoy my videos and that they give you ideas to implement management on your own property.

This video shows how directional felling can help preserve groups of trees that a landowner wishes to keep via the use of a tractor and logging wench. There is background noise of a worker running a chainsaw and this noise interference has prompted me to purchase a lapel microphone for the purpose of limiting background noise and helping preserve the commentary. One important rule of chainsaw work: once a cut is made, it cannot be unmade. This goes for trees and for flesh. For because of that consider these guidelines… - Be sure that your notch is facing where you want it to face before making your felling back-cut. - Be sure that the tree you are about to cut down is really the tree you wanted to cut down - Be sure you are wearing your chaps and face protection. - Does it look and feel safe (i.e., be sure that there are no hazards hanging above you such as large broken limbs [widow-makers], bee hives, vines that can cause the tree to hang up and/or pull down branches on top of you, etc).

This is just an intro-panning of an area being worked. Although it has no commentary in this video, this video is going to be one of a series that will go over a few aspects of a private property being managed for various objectives. Among a few of those objectives are: invasive species removal (bush honeysuckle), forest recreational development, timber management, and habitat feature improvements for wildlife management. This is a basic video log of the day to day projects being worked on and the techniques I use. I am educated in forestry and wildlife sciences and use my education and skill sets to help private landowners improve and manage their forested property to the best of my ability. That being said, I am not here to make cinema quality videos so don’t expect them to be Hollywood quality. I only hope that by sharing my experiences and knowledge I can help others brainstorm ideas, and help them tackle their own wildlife and forestry projects at home.